Under the Weather, by Lindsay Smail
Geelong has defied official predictions to record a colder-than-average spring.
November finished .7C below the 30-year average to deliver a spring result .4C colder.
The figures contradict Bureau of Meteorology predictions in August of higher temperatures for spring in Geelong.
November’s daily minimums were .6C colder and maximums were .8C below the 30-year averages.
Only two November days exceeded 30C, with the highest, 36.2C, recorded on the 21st. The lowest overnight temperature was 6C on 19 November.
November was drier than normal but failed to prevent spring surging way over the average for rain in Geelong.
The region recorded around 30 per cent of its average rain for November, with only 16mm in urban Geelong.
However, spring overall was 130 per cent above the average with a total of 205mm compared to the seasonal average of 154mm.
Despite the rain drying up in November, the region’s water storages hovered 85 per cent of capacity for most of the month after the downpours of September and October.
November also had three days with very strong wind gusts, recording gusts to 78km/h on the 21st during a thunderstorm.
A furious squall about 5pm the same day caused limited damage around Geelong but the consequences were much more serious for other parts of the state.
An outbreak of ‘thunderstorm asthma’, a medical condition caused by strong downbursts and explosive pollen, contributed to nine deaths to 30 November due to breathing difficulties.
